Step-ladder



No. 625,184. Patented May [6, I899,

J; a. MILHIME.

STEP LADDER.

(Application filed Apr. 12, 1597.)

I "III NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN G. MILHIME,-OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

STEP-LADDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 625,184, dated May 16, 1899.

Application filed April 12,1897. Serial No. 631,865. (No model.)

tiously adapted for use upon different levels-1 as, for example, upon a landing and a stairstep.

intermediate steps,of a step-ladder.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure I is a longitudinal vertical section of my ladder, showing it adjusted for use upon a floor and a stair-step. Fig. II is a front elevation of the same. Fig. III illustrates the upper part of the ladder folded. Fig. IV is a section on the line IV IV of Fig. II. Fig. Vis a bottom plan view of the spreader abutment-plate and a portion of the step to which it is attached.

Referring to the figures on the drawings, 1 and 2 indicate the two side pieces, and 3 the With respect to the parts referred to they may be of any suitable or ordinary construction.

, Adjacent to the upper end of each of the side pieces 1 and 2 I provide a pair of engaging members 4 and 5, which preferably consist of pins extending between and secured to each member of a pair of plates 6, secured to opposite sides of the frame-pieces, as by bolts or rivets 7. Each pair of plates projects rearwardly from the side pieces, to which it is secured. The pins 4 and 5 are of any suitable shape and of a size adapted to afford requisite strength to enable them to perform their functions. They are, as clearly illustrated in Figs I, III, and IV, arranged in different horizontal and vertical planes With respect to the normal position of the steps 3 and at such a distance apart as will freely ad- Init a leg 8. When the leg 8 is parallel to the side pieces 1 and 2, the plates 6 are turned so as to present for the accommodation of the leg 8 the greatest space between the pins 4 and 5. (See Fig. III.)

When the leg 8 is moved to a proper angle for supporting the side pieces 1 and 2, as clearly shown in Fig. I, the pins 4 and 5 engage the opposite sides of the leg 8 and prevent the vertical movement of the legin either direction.

There being preferably two pairs of plates 6 and each pair provided with its pins 4 and 5, there are two legs 8, which, being united, as by a cross-piece 9 and cross-head 10, constitute the supporting-frame of the ladder, composed, as already described, of the side pieces 1 and 2 and steps 3. The cross-head 10 is preferably provided with a beveled face 11, which corresponds to a beveled face 13 upon the top step 13 of the ladder proper. By this arrangement when the head-piece 10 and the step 13 are brought to the same plane they constitute in efiect one step or shelf such as is present in ordinary step-ladders.

In order to provide for the engagement of the pins 4 and 5 with their respective legs 8 at any osition to which the legs may be adj usted, lprovide upon the legs a sliding frame consisting, preferably,of collars 14, surrounding the legs, respectively, and cross-braces 15. The collars and cross-braces are preferably made of a single metallic casting and are provided with lugs 16, to which are pivoted, as indicated at 17, a spreader 18, that is pivoted, as indicated at 19, to a metallic frame 20, secured, preferably, to the opposite sides of one of the steps 3. The pivots 17 and 19 afford means for folding the ladder, so that the legs 8 will lie parallel with the side pieces 1 and 2,

as illustrated in Fig. III, and also afford means for spreading the legs or fixing them at such an angle with respect to the side pieces 1 and 2 as will insure the proper engagement of the pins 4 and 5 with the legs.

In order to effect the proper setting of the legs 8 at the required angle, so that the engagement of the pins 4 and 5 therewith will be readily and positively effected without an necessary strain upon the pins, I provide upon the end of the spreader 18 an abutment-plate 21, which, striking against the bottom of the step 3, to which the frame 20 is secured, or, as illustrated, against the bottom plate of the frame 20, serves to effect the desired result above specified.

In operation the legs 8, being in the position illustrated in Fig. III, may be readily adj usted to any required length with respect to the side pieces l and 2 by sliding them between the pins 4 and 5 and through the collars 1.4.

They are then swung away from the side pieces 1 and 2, and when the spreader 18 assumes the horizontal position, the plate 21 lying flat against the bottom of the frame 20,

. they are securely and firmly held in that position. In order to release the legs for the purpose of readjustment or folding them to the position shown in Fig. III, all that is necessary is to slightly raise the sliding frame, as by a lift upon the pieces 15, and the result is accomplished.

What I claim is- 1. The combination with the side pieces of a ladder, of engaging members thereon, a leg working between the engaging members, the engaging members being so located as to receive and hold the leg only when it is set at an angle to the ladder, and means for fixing the leg at such an angle to the ladder as will compel the said engagement, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination with the side pieces of a ladder, provided, respectively, with engaging members, of a supporting-frame comprehending legs Working between the engaging members, said members being located so as to engage and hold the legs only when the supporting-frame is set at an angle to the side pieces of theladder, and means for fixing the supporting-frame at such an angle as will compel such engagement, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination with the side pieces of a ladder, and plates thereon provided, re-

spectively, with pins constituting engaging members, of a supporting-frame comprehending legs working between the pins, a sliding frame on the legs, and a spreader movably uniting the sliding frame and the ladder, substantially as set forth.

4. The combination with the side pieces of a ladder, and plates thereon provided, respectively, with pins constituting engaging members, of asupporting-frame comprehending legs working between the pins, a top step on the ladder, and a corresponding cross-head on the supporting-frame, a sliding frame on the legs, and a spreader movably uniting the sliding frame and the ladder, substantially as set forth.

5. The combination with a ladder and supporting-frame adjustable thereon, of means uniting the ladder and supporting -frame, adapted to prevent the movement of the supporting-frame With respect to the ladder, when the supporting-frame is set at an angle to the ladder, a sliding frame on the supportingframe, a spreader movably secured thereto, and to the ladder, and a spreader-plate adapted to engage a part of the ladderand thereby to fix the spreader in the operative position, substantially as set forth.

JOHN G. MILI-IIME.

Witnesses:

FRED E. NEWMAN, F. 000K, GEO. II. S. LAUD. 

